Retrieving and renovating a childhood home

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That gate, that gate, that beautiful gate…

Ah, people, remember how I have regaled you with my sadness that the fence and gate with the maple-leaf adornments that once surrounded the Manse’s yard – way back in my very early childhood here, in the middle of the last century – is no longer with us?

In one of my very earliest posts at Meanwhile, at the Manse, which is here, I showed you a painting by the famous Robert Bateman of just such a fence. And then in this instalment I showed you a gorgeous still-extant maple-leaf fence that Raymond and I spotted at a farm on one of the roads not too far from here. I admire and covet that fence every time I travel that road. Here’s one of the photos I took:

In this post I showed you a similar gate – sadly, minus the maple-leaf adornments – that my cousin Bruce has in his collection of sundry stuff and has very kindly offered to donate to the Manse. That same post also includes a photo of a gate with maple-leaf adornments that still exists at a house right around the corner from the Manse in Queensborough, a pretty frame place that is one of the oldest houses in the village.

And now I have another photo, of another such gate, that is also, to my great regret, not mine. This lovely maple-leaf gate is at the home of my friend Jean, up on Declair Road east of the village, and I like how it looked against the snow, worn fenceposts and all, on the very cold but sparklingly sunny day that I visited her and took the picture. Here’s another one:

Clearly the fact that these maple-leaf fences and gates are still to be found here and there indicate that at one time they were very popular indeed. Raymond and I once found an antiques place that had a handful of the metal maple leaves for sale (for a fairly hefty price), but none of the actual fencing, and no gates. We shall keep looking, though.

Does the Manse’s yard need a fence, or a gate? No, not particularly. But man oh man, if I could get my hands on a hundred feet or so of that maple-leaf fence, and a maple-leaf gate – maybe the one from Bruce with some maple leaves from the antiques place welded on? – you can bet there would be one.

Ah, except: I have just remembered a childhood experience of digging fencepost holes, and what hard work it was. Hmmm … do they have machines for that now?

6 thoughts on “That gate, that gate, that beautiful gate…”

The Rent-all in Tweed does rent a two-man auger at a very reasonable rate which would be great for digging those post-holes. Another and even easier method is to find a local tractor owner with an auger for his three-point hitch. Sooooooooo with a day of free time and a little luck in finding the fencing and the gate………. it seems quite doable.

Hi Katherine! These fence panels used to stand in the Welcome Cemetery too. Doreen (mom) tells me the United Church Men’s Club sold fence panels at their annual yard sale from a hay wagon outside the Welcome Manse. Not sure why the fence was replaced—perhaps something more sturdy is required for an inevitable zombie apocalypse. If you send me your email address I’ll forward you a photo of the panel that’s in mom’s garden. But if it goes missing, we know where to find you!

McHolm! How great to hear from you! Not least because you have a bead on some of that wonderful vintage fencing. Now, I promise not to nick the piece of it that’s in your mum’s garden, but I would love to have a photo, and I’ll send you my email address backchannel. Meanwhile: Why oh why was I not at those Men’s Club sales?????